Countdown to Ragnarok & Other Challenge Chapters
by Gavedin
Summary: What do you do when you learn that the afterlife is much different than you believed? That there is much more to you than originally thought? And the end of everything is soon to pass? Looks like living peacefully after death is way out of the question for a certain jinchuriki. -Norse mythology clashes with the world of Naruto. Addendum of other challenge previews.
1. Countdown to Ragnarok

Disclaimer: Naruto's owned by a man that created this back when I was a child…so it's obvious I don't own it myself.

Chapter 1:

Broken was not the word that could have been used to described the scene. The bloody ichor that coated the massive trees and sodden earth painted a macabre scene. What once may have been a body lay still in the shade of one of the many grand oaks, pooling in its own lifeblood and, oddly out of place in this lush environment, a coarse gathering of sand. Strong bones were crushed into powder, organs liquefied and pulped, and all semblance of humanity had been stripped away by the manner of death.

The pain should have been unbearable, paralyzing and causing the person to be unable to even think on what had happened as their life slipped away like water flowing down a stream. But that would have been **if** said person hadn't been instantly killed by the deathblow. For all his strength, for all his pluck, it had done nothing in the face of an all-encompassing vacuum of grain.

Instead, Uzumaki Naruto felt hollow and heartbroken. Staring down at his former mortal shell the blond-haired, blue-eyed shinobi of Konoha was completely numb to the rest of the world. His own clothing and body were once again whole, unmarked by the test of battle and wear unlike the _thing_ in front of him. A strange twist of fate, though not as strange as the fact that _he was looking at his own mangled and unrecognizable corpse._

For he was dead. D-E-A-D. Squeezed to death in the blood-soaked, chakra-tainted sands of a mentally unhinged psychopath. One that had been a part of a grander scheme to destroy the boy's home village and remove it from the ninja hierarchy. Naruto thought he could win, no he _knew_ he could win. Win and save his crush from ironically being crushed to death herself. But the fates were against him and not even the power of a tailed beast sealed inside his form and the addition of powerful toad summons was enough to gain victory in the end. He didn't know how or why, but the sand prison encircled him tightly like the devil itself was controlling it before compressing with an ungodly strength not seen outside the deepest depths of the ocean. That was coupled by a mangled screech that would give any sane person nightmares for years to come.

"_**Sabaku Sōsō**_ (Sand Waterfall Funeral)!"

And so his young life was tragically cut short.

The battle was still raging, the shouts and explosions in the distance only enhancing that fact. How many others laid dead and dying he did not dwell on. He just simply couldn't-_wouldn't-_believe that the disgusting mess at his feet used to be him. So did that make Naruto a ghost now, or what? A specter forced to aimlessly wander the earth because he passed on with regrets? A large foot of black and tan sand slammed into the earth not mere centimeters from his left but the blond child ignored it in favor of continuing his morbid stare, even as the impact winds and debris buffered both of his bodies.

How could he become Hokage now? Or prove to Sakura that he was the much better choice than that pretty-boy bastard Sasuke? Grow old and become an amazing ninja that everybody acknowledged? That was all over now…his dreams…pride…ninja growth…all gone.

"…why?"

The maniacal screech of the Shukaku was offered in turn.

"…what do I do now?"

"_**KYAAAAAAHAHAHAAA! DIE! DIE! DIEEEEEE!**_"

"I've failed…"

Naruto raised a hand and slowly ran it down his face, dropping to his knees as despair caused his spirit to grow heavier and heavier. Unable to even care anymore about what was happening around him, the thirteen-year old was unable to notice the glimmer of shimmering light appear inside the green blanket of leaves above his head. The glow continued illuminating the small area until it eventually grew to the size of a pillar of gold heading straight into the sky. A wondrous sight, beautiful and otherworldly in its brilliance, yet un-viewable to even the most widely aware.

At least to all but one.

The soft fluttering of wings joined the clearing as something descended from the blue heavens. Hundreds upon hundreds of pure white feathers flapped as one before the figure they were attached to reached their designated arrival point of hovering a few feet above the ground. The boy below looked so small; so weak. But the new arrival knew of the potential hidden away in that young body.

"_Raise your head, brave warrior._" Naruto barely heard the lilting, melodic voice but it still managed to slip casually through his inattentive barrier with barely any effort. Blinking away the doubt that clouded his eyes Naruto slowly turned his head to see what had entered his bubble of shame.

The vision took his breath away.

It was a woman, held aloft by large angelic wings that glowed with a soft inner light. Her body was covered in a thick set of intricate armor polished to a sheen that, ironically, did not seem to seem to hinder any of her speed. It was as if the blue plates, chainmail, and metalwork with gold inlay that contoured to her figure were nothing more than simple silk. Greaves, gauntlets, torso, pauldrons…even a long skirt with a slit to allow mobility and odd sandals that looked more like interlocked leather straps with a sole that melded together with her shin guards.

The helmet pushed over her brow like the beak of a large bird, even containing a plume of large and stiff feathers situated above each covered ear as added decoration. A few parts of her body were still bare such as her upper leg, elbows, and face. It didn't make her any less dangerous looking, especially with the thick-looking sword at her hip that appeared nothing like the blades used by shinobi or samurai. Her pale, ashy-blonde hair gathered at the nape of her neck and flowed down her back into a long, loose ponytail tied securely by a ribbon near its end.

All in all, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever witnessed in his entire life-err, death.

…with wings.

"How a-are you doing that?" he asked in shock, voice hoarse from his rush of emotions.

With arms held wide as if waiting for an embrace, the mysterious person gently stepped down against the stained earth as if she had been there all along. Not one second later her extra appendages spread broader only to dissipate into particles of radiance that faded into the sky, leaving her to _finally_ look as normal as one could while decked out in a set of unknown mail. The female simply regarded him with a warm smile that brightened her greenish-blue eyes considerably.

"_Thou hast been slain in battle and thy presence is awaited in Asgard._" She was saying words that sounded like gibberish to the ninja's ears and yet…he still understood what she was saying. Well, most of it. Like there was some sort of translator in his mind…which was really weird considering only one language was ever spoke in the Elemental Nations. He had heard that there were others…but their words hadn't been spoken in countless years. "_As it was decreed, by the will of the Allfather thy life shall end and depart the realm of Midgard._"

"W-wait…" Naruto rose to his feet with a struggle, his limbs spazzing out as his neck seemed to lose all semblance of control. Sleep was descending upon his mind like a comforting blanket and it was making it _very_ hard to interrogate the woman on her confusing speech. "I…what…" Fingers clawed at his temples as the ninja did his best to fight the mental intrusion but it was to no avail. His eyelids drooped for the last time with a helpless 'dammit', falling face-first towards the ground without any way to brace himself. Metal plates rustled as the odd angel skipped forward with impressive speed and caught Naruto gently within her grip, the jinchuriki's cheek coming to rest against the cold metal of her bosom as she continued to hug him against herself.

"_Do not regret; death comes to even the hardiest of warriors. Training, skill…such can only prolong thy existence for a time. But you, Naruto Minato'sson, even without proper guidance still pitted thyself against a true monster for the sake of thy honor and homeland. By witness of the gods and their hallowed valkryie, come…Valhalla awaits us._"

The newly labeled valkryie released her loving squeeze and positioned Naruto to lay in her arms, one tucked under his knees and the other positioned against his back. Once the boy was properly secured she looked skyward as her goddess-like features took on a look of neutrality. Two pinpoints of yellowish light burned against her shoulder blades before erupting into the amazing wingspan from before. The two appendages curled skyward before giving a mighty flap, launching the pale-blonde and her guest into the sky at a steady velocity.

The two continued to rise, passing above the canopy of trees and soon finding themselves high above even the Hokage monument in their feathery ascent. Far below the woman could make out the Shukaku creature at the decimated western wall of Konohagakure's business district while a jagged line of toppled forest marked its path from where Naruto's corpse still laid. Walls of wind were expelled from the sand biju's mouth as massive bloody claws created from the soil itself blew through buildings and miniscule people alike. Hordes of fireballs and other elemental attacks rained down upon the Ichibi like a nuisance as the leaf shinobi did their best to fight back…but currently it was not looking that good. There was no cohesion in the attacks.

Many more would die this day, such as that one girl with the odd rose-shaded hair glued to that tree trunk by a barricade of constricting sand. Unless any survivors stumbled upon the battlefield in their reconnaissance or escape it would be quite long before Uzumaki's body was found along with the young female. The valkyrie had even witnessed another boy with jet-black hair nearly unconscious under a nearby pile of bark and debris, caught in the battle of the titans. While tragic and the mere thought clenched deeply at her heart, there was nothing she could do.

No.

She could have intervened but it was not her place.

The beautiful angel was here for one person and one person alone. Neither she nor her sisters would be returning to this land of ninjutsu and honor-less fools ever again. The last time a holy shield-maiden had graced the Elemental Nations was nigh thirteen years ago and nearly all believed it to be the last. But the blood flowing through Uzumaki Naruto's veins had called out like a trilling beacon and the Allfather announced that the last Norseman on Midgard had finally fallen. Though many were perplexed by his declaration, none saw reason to refute his mighty claim. He was their leader and his knowledge was omniscient. If there was a kinsman left on mortal soil and he saw reason to end the boy's life for a greater purpose then so be it.

With one last glance towards the partial ruins of Konohagakure no Sato, the valkyrie maiden and her charge were enveloped in a new pillar of piercing radiance that descended from on high. The duo melded together with the beam in a peaceful transition, disappearing and simply fading from existence as they traveled from one plane of reality to the next. The shinigami would never claim this soul and the great power he held.

Though what the death god lost in quality, it no doubt made up for in quantity that day.

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_A/N: So...this story is from a challenge idea I created where Naruto was the last person around to have any Norse blood within him. It, along with two others I created, are on my account page. Check them out...I at least think they're good. They might take some research though...but hey, good things need preparation._

_It's been awhile since I updated anything due to work and school taking up literally all of my free time. In fact I should have been doing case briefs but this damn thing was bugging me to finish. It's only a prologue though since it actually seemed like a good place to stop it for now and give you all something new from me. I've also been working on Two Realms and Emergence...idk when I'll get around to finishing them but they are at least halfway done each._

_And for those that may have noticed at all, yes. The valkyrie I used was based off of the Enix/Square Enix video game Valkyrie Profile. It's not Lenneth though...I just used the general armor._


	2. My Grandfather's A What?

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor Harry Potter. Sorry, I'm not British or Japanese enough to do so. Zero percent on both accounts.

*I've decided that this will story will show the previews of those challenge ideas I came up with. The first Was Norse Naruto. Here's the second.

:Naruto/Harry Potter Crossover:

November 1st, 1981,Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, Great Britain.

It was a wonderful neighborhood filled with wonderful people…as long as you were wonderfully normal in every sense of the word. The streets were filled with rows upon rows of the exact same cookie-cutter houses where families young and old lived. Beautiful two-story houses with neatly trimmed lawns and sparkling windows…but all was not what it seemed. Behind the shiny veneer of company cars and executive salaries hid the lingering resentment of gossipy, brown-nosing individuals. One wrong move, one single decision that could possibly lower the status of a household, and the nitpickers would descend with all the fury of ferocious hungry jackals.

Social status was everything in Privet Drive.

It was also the reason why Vernon Dursley and his wife Petunia were both ready to pull their hair out at the purely _unnatural _visitor currently asleep on their dining room table. Vernon, a right whale of a man with a thick black mustache, barely any visible neck, beady blue eyes, and rolls of skin hidden underneath his XXXL-sized clothing, was seething as his ruddy face purpled in silent rage. If ANYONE happened to peek out their window a few minutes ago and saw what they did, their ordinary family would have been decimated by becoming the unwanted talk of the town.

Given, it was extremely early in the morning and the pair of Dursleys had been awoken from their sleep (as well as their chubby one-year old Dudley), and highly unlikely any neighbor would casually be looking out at their front lawn at one-thirty in the morning. But it was the _idea_ that someone could have which drove the paranoid, overweight man's blood pressure skyrocketing. The only reason he hadn't begun bellowing like a fool was because his son would join right along with him and Petunia had only just gotten him to return to his slumber.

Speaking of Petunia Dursley, how she was able to survive copulation with the man more than twice her width to produce a child was something of a miracle. Whereas her husband was rather large, she herself was stick thin with a somewhat withered look that gave off the near appearance of a horse. Blonde hair curled around her ears and neck while her bluish-violet eyes constantly darted around the room as if to find something out of place. Currently, her already pale skin had lightened even more to the point where she appeared sickly. The observation wasn't that far off as those abnormally-colored irises would occasionally lock onto the young infant lying prone on her immaculate tabletop and she'd swallow, as if a hint of bile had pooled at the back of her throat.

As the grandfather clock chimed its time from the foyer, Vernon apparently had enough and stomped towards the intruder in _his_ home. "Explain…to me again…why we are being forced to hide this, this, **thing** within our walls? It's unnatural! You said we would never have to deal with any of this funny business after you broke away from those freaks in your family!" A large finger jabbed threateningly towards the obviously un-threatening toddler, as if he would attack them at any moment. Petunia only shook her head quickly before chewing on the end of her thumbnail.

"Because if we do not then _more_ of the magical freaks would return to ensure we changed our minds! By simply raising the boy then our problems stay at a minimum!" the blond whispered back fiercely, only to cause a vein in Vernon's beefy neck to jump.

"I told you never to speak that word again, woman!" he hissed. "As for the problems, that's one more mouth to feed! Money out of my paycheck, our own pockets to ensure that little_ horror _survives when instead it could be used to look after our family and interests!"

"The letter explains that by him being here, our home is protected from any evil wiz…them!"

"The little bastard is a threat to our household? That's it! I will not have him here causing any harm towards our own little tyke! Out with him, I don't care where!"

The horse-faced woman pursed her lips in genuine fear. "I want him gone just as much as you do, love, but it states he has to be kept with a blood relative of his own!"

"And there's none left on your side? Your sister may have bought the farm but I distinctly remember you having a mother and father in good health. Ship your sibling's runt off to them and be done with it!" Petunia's chest clenched painfully at the abrupt dismissal of her recently departed sister but masked the emotion well. Yes, she hated Lily with all her being for being more than just a regular human. Having wondrous and horrifying powers that defied physics and natural law. And how she couldn't-no, wouldn't accept Lily for what she was even when the girl did all she could to get on Petunia's good side. The elder sister hated the fact that the younger Evans' female was the bigger woman and continuously tried to bury the hatchet while the non-magical effectively blocked any and all attempts at reconciliation.

But Petunia Dursley also harbored envy at the redhead's achievements…and hid a secret of her own that not even her hubby was aware of.

"My f-father and mother…I started pulling away from them the very moment Lily showed signs of her freak powers and they acted like she was a godsend. I couldn't do with their believing she was the worthwhile daughter and I was nothing at all. Once you proposed to me…I left and never looked back."

"So you're saying we're stuck with the bloody brat." His hairy lip curled in contempt. But before Vernon could tip off into another tirade about his unwanted nephew the doorbell rang, effectively silencing the man while waking up both sleeping children. Petunia rushed upstairs towards her Duddykins with the intent to comfort him, leaving the second wailing babe to cry and cry. Vernon ignored what he deemed an 'unwanted package' before stalking off to confront whoever the hell else decided it was a good idea to break the calm of his house. They were going to get a fist in their nose if they didn't have a damn good reason for doing so!

Someone important better have died this time or the Queen herself was here on urgent business!

From the second floor the slender mother heard her husband roar like a man possessed, urging her to rush back downstairs to see what caused the reaction and intervene if need be. With Dudley at her breast, the female strained to keep the bouncing rhythm in her arms continue without rest to ensure her baby boy was lulled back to sleep. It didn't help that Vernon was yelling at their guest with choice words that any small child should never hear.

"WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, SHOWING UP AT THIS TIME OF NIGHT AND ASKING TO SEE MY WIFE? GET LOST BEFORE I REALLY LOSE MY TEMPER AND BEAT YOUR ASS FOR SOLICITING AGAINST THE LAW AT AN UNGODLY HOUR AND THREATENING A MEMBER OF THIS HOUSEHOLD! THE POLICE WILL BE HERE ANY SECOND AND YOU'LL BE HAULED OFF TO JAIL WHERE I HOPE TO GOD THEY LOCK YOU AWAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!"

"V-Vernon, who is i-it?"

The children continued to cry.

"We both know you're full of hot air with your pathetic threats, Dursley. Besides, it's not like something as simple as the cops can hold me down." It was a voice, calm and collected with a heavy hint of an Asian accent against the walrus-sized Englishman's bullying screech. It was a voice that caused his yellow-haired spouse to stagger back as if struck, nearly dropping her heavy child in the process. That voice…oh lord, that voice. One that hadn't touched her ears in, well, a few decades really. Half of her hoped to never be around it again while the second half, the wilder and deeply repressed side, longed for its soothing baritone from her youth.

"GET OFF MY PROPERTY THIS INSTANT!"

"I think not. I'm here for two things and you, my tubby little man, are not one of them."

**SLAM**

**CLICK**

Vernon reappeared in the doorway with a face as dark as the night sky from all the angry blood flowing through it. Just as the blonde went to ask again who came knocking at their front steps, if only to affirm her belief, the obese Brit turned his sights upon the frail woman with spittle nearly spraying from his lips in his rage-induced haze.

"Who do you think you are, going around behind my back and seeing another man! After all I've done for you, given you? This is how you repay me? Or given any thought to what the others would think now that our son has a whore for a mother!"

"How dare you, Vernon Dursley!" Petunia snapped back as her own mouth quivered with emotion. "I have been _completely_ faithful to you and even given you a wonderful, loving son! Do not make such a disgusting accusation without any proof!"

"PROOF? THE EVIDENCE WAS WALKING AROUND RIGHT ON OUR OWN BLOODY DOORSTEP!"

**DING-DONG**

Nitrogen bubbles popped loudly as two great, chubby hands clenched together painfully tight. With as much dignity as she could mister Petunia handed her child over to his father and marched towards the door. "I have not cheated on you, and I will take care of this once and for all! Then we will put our son down for the night, find a spot for the freak to sleep, and go to bed ourselves! Then we will forget about this accursed night and never speak of it again _you stupid ignorant bastard!_" With her head held high, the thin lass moved towards the door to take care of the problem. The black-haired man blinked stupidly, anger momentarily forgotten as he struggled to comprehend what his wife had just said.

Was it just him or did she just speak some ungodly Jap language there at the end?

Bollocks to all the heathens. It must have just been the pressures of the night playing tricks on his mind.

"Ding dong. Ding dong. Bing bong. Ring. Ring. Ring. Hmmm, knock knock?" The man outside Number 4 Privet Drive continued to speak as he knocked upon the perfect door just loud enough to grab the resident's attention. If anything it was to simply fill the cool night air with more than silence. Bright blue eyes shined in the darkness as tanned fingers brushed against a scalp filled with unruly sun-kissed yellow hair that fell into his eyes. Hair not normally found on a 'Jap' as the bigot Dursley most eloquently stated, but then again he was no ordinary male from the Land of the Rising Sun.

He wasn't ordinary, period. And to add to his impressive life resume…he wasn't from anywhere on God's green Earth either.

At least not this one.

"Someone else better answer soon because I sure as hell am not a stranger to breaking and entering or picking this crappy little lock."

Impressive hearing, far above that of any normal human's, picked up the rushed and erratic steps of something extremely light speeding towards the door. A set of pearly white teeth flashed into existence as the man grinned, exposing a set of canines sharper than what one would normally possess. So she finally decided to set him right, did she? Goody. The wooden portal slammed open with a strength one would think someone of her size could not own. Her sharp inhalation of air choked halfway as her eyes widened to disproportionate heights and her body involuntarily began to shiver.

"Y-y-y-you!"

"...me. Hello, Petunia-chan." he responded as his smile dropped into a thin line and his features schooled into something blank. And just like that Petunia was back in her youth living in Cokesworth, staring back at someone she hadn't thought about in years. He always did this whenever the prissy blonde had done something wrong. When she broke the lamp, or got lost that one time near the river, or calling her sister a _freak_. The blond man never said he was disappointed in her, oh no, instead opting to merely stare at her with a dignified and neutral expression until she fidgeted enough and broke down, before he would then cheer her up in some way and express how he was not upset with her actions but instead asking what she had learned from the experience.

She was no longer a middle-aged woman with a husband and son. No, she was once again seven-years old sitting in the quiet study of her childhood home on the rather comfortable sofa she had always secretly adored.

"Why are you here…Tou-san?" Petunia's voice lost its quaver as the man, her father if the foreign labeling was correct, continued to watch her. But to call him her dad was a large stretch. He didn't look a day past thirty-five. Coupled with the hair, eyes, and darkened skin, a spiky yet neatly groomed full beard/mustache combo now covered his face that she did not remember him having in her memories. The short hair covered up the unique markings that were etched into his cheeks; three thin scar-like lines through the skin that always made Petunia liken him to a big cuddly cat.

Not anymore.

With that knowing gaze and added facial hair, he was now more like a majestic lion. Beautiful…yet extremely dangerous.

A twitch of familiarity touched his lips at his daughter's inquiry before being lost in the moment. "I'm here to see my grandson, who I was not even allowed to see after his birth due to the meddling of a man way past his prime." A hint of disgust laced his voice at that. "But then again I wasn't allowed at the birth of your son either, was I?"

"You're here for that little monstrosity?" she gasped before shuddering at how intense her parent's look turned. While still non-judgmental, her words struck something deep within his being that Petunia only now remembered as the stories her father once told her long, long ago were forcefully dug back up. Freak. Monster. Demon. Those were words that could actually cause the rugged-looking male to grow impatient and annoyed with those around him. Mere titles, but the venom behind them contained so much more. Perhaps it was a trick of the street lights but she could have sworn his eyes flashed a sickening crimson. But that never happened before…had it? That wasn't a trick the blond was known to do.

"Yes, I'm here for Lily's child." the guest answered neutrally, folding his arms over his broad chest. The leather jacket, grey button up shirt and black slacks strained minorly against his build, which one would find more common upon a boxer or martial artist. He then spoke five words that would change the outcome of history that his mere presence being there had already not, a written history that we all know so very well. Words that would modify the plans of an elderly headmaster who only wished for the world to live in peace. Words that would force the floating scrap of a fractured soul belonging to a vanquished Dark Lord to change once the pain of a reflected killing curse faded to bearable proportions. Both men, and the British Isles at large, would begin to compare the name of the Dark Lord's destroyer to that of his grandfather's, one Uzumaki Naruto. Jinchuriki. Loving father. A man that married a beautiful civilian woman named Evans that contained more spitfire in her body than _anyone_ alive back home in the Elemental Nations.

A man that somehow looked as if he could have been Petunia Dursley née Uzumaki-Evans' older brother.

"Let me see my magomusuko (grandson)."

From inside the house, a year-old infant with jet black hair, shining emerald eyes, and an odd scar at the right of his forehead in the shape of a lightning bolt began to calm down from his tantrum and turn his head almost eagerly towards the front door. A gummy smile reached his small lips as his tiny hands wiggled joyfully. Harry could sense the kind aura of the newcomer and it made him feel so calm and happy.

Something, in an alternate universe, he would have been hard-pressed to find for years to come.

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_There ya have it. I used the book descriptions of Vernon and Petunia because it gives her blonde hair and a bridge between Naruto and his daughter. It's a bit rough since I literally just ground it out but I think it gets the point across while leaving plenty of questions to draw in the readers. What was Naruto's wife like? What secret does Petunia have? Why does Naruto look so young? How did he wind up in Great Britain? How greatly is canon Harry Potter going to change? Why am I asking you when I already know? Just take the challenge and all these answers will be yours._


	3. Return to Zero

Disclaimer: I wish that I owned Naruto or Megaman but I don't and that makes me sad and so instead I started writing fanfiction to make up for it.

-Naruto/Megaman Crossover-

"Hokage-sama…we've…hit a snag…"

If there was one thing a geriatric leader of the people hated to hear in the morning, it was that there was a new problem to add to his always present list of troubles. Sarutobi Hiruzen, the third Hokage in charge of the full shinobi dictatorship of Konohagakure no Sato, clad entirely in diplomatic robes of red and white, ran a wrinkly hand through his receded grey hairline and sighed. A 'snag' was a term that essentially meant something big; code for a complication that no one planned for. Being caught in an enemy ambush, hitting a moving target exactly where you wanted, or even applying emergency first aid. These had textbook training advice and instructors with experience to aid individuals, more so hopefully than being thrust into certain deadly situations without any knowledge behind them.

But this…why did it have to be a snag of all things? Especially a month after _his _disappearance. The academy exams were taking place soon and the children were jittery. A whole new wave of genin hopefuls were slated to show off their skills and grab a spot on a jounin-lead team. _He_ was supposed to be one of them. But the sad truth was Uzumaki Naruto had vanished without a trace and they could not find hide nor hair of the blond-haired, blue-eyed, bundle of rabid energy. The Hokage hoped it was a simple kidnapping; if foul play was involved then so many heads would roll it would look like a damn parade of macabre spheres rolling down the main street.

"Please elaborate, Genma. I'll need more than that to create a proper response." The man standing in front of the Hokage's desk, one Shiranui Genma, was a tokubetsu-jounin of Konoha that always seemed ready to make light of a situation. He wore the standard jounin outfit of a green padded flak jacket and blue undersuit, weapon and item pouches, and his forehead protector was worn as a backwards bandana with the metal plate near the rear of his skull. A metallic senbon needle sat firmly between his teeth, swishing back and forth while nearly brushing against the hanging bangs of his chin-length brown hair. While normally a calm and collected individual both on and off the battlefield, Genma was notorious for cracking jokes even at the most inopportune times to lighten the atmosphere. But at this very moment not a single fleck of humor was evident in his features.

"It involves the team you sent into that newly discovered laboratory hidden underground at the base of the monument. It contained the standard shit we'd expect from someone with as little regard for human life as Orochimaru did, but…well, then we reached what we believe to be the end of the line. Raidō found a locked door seemingly made out of reinforced steel behind a revolving bookshelf. We tried everything, Hokage-sama. Explosives, ninjutsu, any weapon we had; the damn thing wouldn't dent, budge, or open after checking it for any traps."

"Thoughts?"

"If Orochimaru made it _that_ impenetrable to get through, then something big is locked away inside. But if it's so important, why leave it behind?...if there's even anything actually inside, that is."

"I see." The Sandaime puffed away at his hand-carved wooden pipe, the acrid smoke slowly wafting into the air before dissipating. Why did his most brilliant student have to turn into such a monster? Oh right; because he grew up into a psychopath that was enamored with the forbidden fruit known as immortality. There could literally be anything behind that door knowing how the Snake Sannin's mind worked. Items ranged from harmless books all the way up to a hideous killer beast spliced together from the DNA of bloodthirsty creatures. Either way such a discovery could not be simply swept under the rug.

"What should we do?"

"There is always a key. We simply have to figure out what will allow us entry. Give me five minutes and I shall join the rest of you." Standing, the aged leader cracked his curved spine and winced. He was one of the lucky few that survived their entire ninja career and lived to see their twilight years. The vast majority were doomed to meet their end before they hit their twenties. It was just a sad statistic of their career choice. If there was one thing Sarutobi hoped for, it was to go out swinging. He was going to die; all people were set on that proverbial road. That was a given. But the man hoped it would involve going out in a blaze of glory, protecting the village he so dearly loved.

A person can dream, can't they?

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Dank, damp, and dark as hell. The atmosphere matched the moods of the ninja who were conscripted into searching and categorizing the lair of one of Konoha's most brilliant minds. Such a tragic irony…a man that had toiled through the fires of war had essentially become a warmonger himself. How many times had they heard of the conspiracies against their nation, spearheaded by one of the former Great Three? Their destruction was his greatest conquest. Simply because he was spurned in the running for becoming the Fourth Hokage.

The flat green fluid the color of diseased soup which held a suspended, gnarled hand probably didn't help his case either.

"How many of these damn funhouses of his are left? This is what, the fifteenth hidden lair discovered over the past ten years?"

"Orochimaru was a genius. A sick fuck that did terrible things…but a goddamned genius."

The two seasoned shinobi shuddered in tandem as the severed hand seemingly twitched, a few bubbles sloshing around in the disgusting stew. Namiashi Raidō, friend and fellow tokubetsu jounin alongside Genma, shouldered a sigh and closed his eyes. Mindless chatter to pass the time. Whether the others admitted to it or not, they were nervous. The snake summoner was indeed one hell of a sicko and a wrong move could spell their doom…or worse. Scratching at the heavy scarring along the left side of his face, the spiky brown-haired man decided to take another look at the oddity he had discovered behind a rickety old trick shelf. No use in wasting any more time when he could instead try and systematically find a way inside.

It was big, heavy looking, and clad in an assortment of some of the strangest designs he had ever laid eyes on. Great, cog-shaped inscriptions and sharp gashes inlaid within the metals. The biggest sign written upon it was a large 'Z' that took up most of the space and arched from one side to the other. Maybe it was some weird sort of bomb shelter? Heaven knows it was sturdy enough. While they _had_ used explosives to try and shoulder their way through, it was none of the high-grade stuff. No use in bringing the ceiling down on all of them and burying the door once and for all.

"And that's why we need to find our way inside. For all we know it could contain something detrimental towards the village."

"But what if it's some sort of nasty poison he created in case it was ever found and we wanted to take a look inside…and opening the door essentially kills us all?"

Raidō had no response.

Sharp footsteps echoed off the walls and each and every member of the remaining seven ninjas tensed for any outcome. Was there something they missed? Or was the owner someone friendly? The damage-scarred shinobi slipped against the wall without a sound and peeked around the corner using a hand mirror, only to softly release the breath he had been holding and make a quick slash with his hand. Comrade approaching. The first to appear in the candle-lit room was Genma, looking as bored and amused as he usually did in any situation. A bit of his mirth had returned and the cause was not unfounded; trailing behind the adult was one that could anyone's heart to soar in the most desperate of times.

Sarutobi had arrived on the scene.

Gone were his Hokage robes, the inspiring garment and matching four-pointed hat left behind to make way for something more…appropriate for battle. His combat attire consisted of a black jumpsuit with mesh segments over the lower portions of his limbs and a grey gauntlet that covered his right wrist, forearm and elbow. Shadowing his face was an armored hood with a bandanna-like Konoha forehead protector over that. Two extremely long straps fluttered out from the headpiece and nearly dragged against the floor. This was the man who had earned the moniker of the 'God of Shinobi'. His dark eyes were sharp, taking in every and all details he could before stepping up towards Raidō with his goatee-clad chin held high. Raidō stiffened imperceptibly and saluted his leader before motioning towards the problem. While unexpected, the appearance and presence of Hiruzen was a welcoming addition to the dreary ambiance.

"There it is, sir." he said, coughing lightly into his clenched hand. "It's locked up tight and we have absolutely no idea how to get it to unlock."

"Have you scoured it for any glyphs? Perhaps there are seals hidden away on its-." Sarutobi quickly held up a closed fist, the unvoiced signal to stop. A soft crackling was issuing forth from _somewhere_ and the immediate fact that such a noise was out of place gave them all a reason to be alert. Genma softly tapped the aged shinobi's shoulder and quickly motioned towards the door, him being the first to pinpoint that the hiss was indeed in the low-ceiling room.

"_**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS-Voiceprint confirmed…SSSS-Please state your name while standing in front of the visual imprinting scanner…SSSS-KKKT!**_" The static was overcome by a small yet strong voice entirely feminine in nature before cutting off into complete silence. It looped every ten seconds and soon enough, the gathered forces had crowded close enough to the door to see that a small speaker with a dull red orb was set into the wall nearly concealed by the shadows. "_**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS-Voiceprint confirmed…SSSS-Please identify yourself while standing in front of the visual imprinting scanner…SSSS-KKKT!**_"

As Sarutobi leaned in closer for a better listen, he swore that the woman's voice sounded almost…exasperated from having to repeat itself? Buried within the tone was a hint of intellect and it almost made him believe that there was an actual person living inside the sealed room. Who else could it be? _What_ else could it be? As the dusty, dirty speaker that spoke of decades of neglect continued to rattle off its message, the Third Hokage could indeed tell that the female was growing irritated by their lack of initiative. Clearing his throat the old man stepped to where he thought would be an appropriate distance with a rustle of armored plates and began to speak.

"I am Sarutobi Hiruzen, Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato in the Land of Fire. Are you alright, miss? How did you get in there? How _long_ have you been inside?" The grey-haired man had to shield his eyes when the red jewel powered up to frightening levels and a beam of ever-widening light slammed into his body. Though it was intangible he still staggered back as if struck, before having to wave off the concerns of his subordinates. He had no idea what was happening and made sure to vocally express his confusion. The voice didn't care.

"_**Stand perfectly still and please try not to hurt yourself.**_"

Following the instructions as best as he could Hiruzen allowed the odd light show to travel up and down his figure with bated breath, not even realizing the voice was showing concern at his advanced age. With a click the beam snapped off as a new blinking light came to life on the small dashboard, flickering between black and red and making everyone wonder what the hell was going to happen now. "What, uh…what just happened?" Genma asked quietly, the senbon's increased wiggling the only sign of the tokubetsu jounin's tenseness.

"_**Identity confirmed. Genjutsu shell nonexistent. DNA scan positive. Chakra core viable. Looks like you're not an imposter.**_" The line went dead again as the red light morphed into a steady emerald green. A deep rumbling could be heard (and felt in their bones as their legs absorbed the most of the shakes) before what could only be described as some kind of special seal activated in front of their very eyes. Letters formed in mid air thanks in part to thanks to the green radiance cutting through the dark. As more and more sigils formed by way of hologram (something none here had ever witnessed before), a single solitary sentence hovered before the ninja's faces and unconsciously Hiruzen wet his lips.

"Unseal the hushed casket?"

"_**Password accepted.**_"

The roar intensified as the jade projection winked off, causing everyone to cover their ears at the grating racket. The door creaked and groaned and screeched with metallic vigor while the very ground shook beneath their feet. It made the battle-ready leader immediately wish he could take back his words. What in all holy hell was happening? What had he done? And why was the reinforced barrier wobbling like it was?

The steel brackets that shone with an otherworldly onyx tint transformed, clicking in upon itself as the struts shrank and melded until they had seamlessly shrank into the wall and door. The changes did not stop there though; the sudden renovations continuing on until all that remained of the entrance was the large 'Z' ridges. Even those did not stand against the generating forces as the edges split apart in a shower of flying dirt, the debris untouched by years of being overlooked simply because it would not open.

It was over as quickly as it began.

The thundering noise died with a manageable stutter. The entire group of shinobi clawed at their ears, waiting for their hearing to return and not be nothing more than a continuous ringing. Minutes passed before someone decided to speak up, raising their voice to try and make up for the tinnitus everyone was still sporting thanks to the impromptu renovation.

"What the fuck was that?"

Genma blinked stupidly at Raidō's unprofessional yell before grinning widely. His teammate in the Fourth Hokage's former bodyguard unit _never_ acted out like that if he could. It was really rather refreshing. "You took the words right out of my mouth, buddy!"

"Enough talk! Search the room and be ready for possible hostility!" The Sandaime's order was absolute and despite their jumpiness at what had just happened (plus still being inside one of Orochimaru's bases) the remaining ninja spread out at the base of the entrance. So far there were no signs of life, and nothing that remotely looked like a female of which Sarutobi had spoken with. In fact…it was just a room. A really, really big room that carved ever deeper within the mountain at the edge of Konoha. A high roof made of darkened steel and a tiled floor crafted out of…whatever iron or steel blocks these things were made of. Three quick slashes of the man's wrinkled hands and each warrior fanned out with a quick shunshin towards the inner perimeter of the area. He himself took the middle, approaching the large rectangular blocks that formed a rough semicircle near the very center.

Pressed up against the odd combination of metal and rock, the elder peeked around the corner and was unable to keep his jaw from dropping. It was a goldmine of tech that would have their R & D department salivating at the endless possibilities present before his weary eyes. Consoles and lights, monitors and buttons, so many things that went entirely over his head with how advanced they seemed to be. If anything it made Sarutobi wonder if he had accidently stumbled upon a buried nerve center created back during the time of Konoha's destruction of the sky ninja during the Second Great Shinobi War. Their advanced equipment and machinery certainly seemed to fit the bill…but it only raised the question of how lax was their own security to allow the now scattered remnants of Sora no Kuni to get this exaggeratedly close to their home back during that time.

"Hokage-sama…what is **that**?"

What indeed?

Centered within a pool of stagnant water surrounded by both ninja and contraptions, stood a humanoid figure. Well…it wasn't exactly standing. More like kneeling in the liquid as the person slouched enough forward as if in penance to allow their arms to dangle beneath the small lake's surface. From the high ceiling hung a large, suspended contraption that ended a foot or so above the unmoving individual's bowed head. Wires of all sizes and colors arched from the odd alloyed stalactite and into its helmet, neck, and shoulders. One would guess that the person was a statue or decoration…but its looks were so out of place in the dusty old room.

It was sculpted like a human and a guess would put its height around the size of an average adult near the end of their teenage years were it in a standing position. Two arms, a pair of legs, a lean torso, and a head; simple enough. Their body was covered in a skintight black bodysuit, large pointed gauntlets up to his elbows, and heavy-looking boots that reached up to the edge of their knees. The arm and legs coverings were both a deep red color, with some sort of thick golden bands around the wrists and ankles. A tiny red vest with a yellow neckline and pockets was worn over the torso, and a strange white covering that looked like a sleek, armored jockstrap was attached to the pelvis. On both hips rested another white shell that…well, none of the shinobi were sure what the two were for.

Lastly was the skull. The helmet sitting upon the humanoid's head (or perhaps it was just the thing's actual head) was the same sleek shade of black as its body, and contained an upside-down triangular jewel directly in its forehead. The dull aquamarine tint was directly where one would center their metal plate on a hitai-ate. A pair of red horns that swept backwards were attached to the crystal and black spaces while tapered down to a point between the person's closed eyes. Another pair were situated at its cheeks, bleach white and creating a part of the head covering's edge near the base of the skull. The last interesting part of its appearance was the long, yellow ponytail that flowed out from underneath the helmet. Perhaps it was something Yamanaka-ish? A long shot but it was the only recognizable factor they could see.

Then the wires in its body began to tremble.

One by one the thin cable's shook violently and detached themselves with a loud hiss, steam billowing out of the ports where the two connected. Despite all the mist now covering the kneeling 'statue', the watching group could still see that there were no holes where the wires had joined. The sturdy material remained completely whole. As the final cable pulled itself free, the figure shuddered in its spot while its limbs made the smallest of jerky movements. The jewel at its forehead flickered monotonously before gaining a steady pulse and growing in strength. A few seconds later it shone with a powerful, uninterrupted light.

A pair of eyes snapped open instantly, causing every single shinobi in the room to take a step back. The intensity of the…whatever the hell it was…its gaze was so concentrated it could have boiled the water beneath it with its laser-like focus. With slow yet graceful motions the creature rose to its feet, shaking the water off the gloved hands. The gauntlets, boots, helmet, hip pouches, and pelvis guard all split open at once, revealing an amazing amount of circuitry underneath their surfaces as the armor stretched and readjusted its pieces. Minute amounts of vapor released and fled into the dank atmosphere as it continued to air itself out before every miniature armor protrusion froze and settled back in their spots with a soft 'clank'. Not one line could be seen where the pieces fit back together like a puzzle. It was as if it had been completely whole the entire time.

"_Well, well. Look who's finally awake._"

The figure looked around the room, ignoring the battle-ready shinobi as bright blue eyes blazed beneath its shadowy visor. "Cortana…" it said, the growly voice understandably male. A familiar voice…one Sarutobi grasped at desperately but could not place in his decades of memories. "How long was I out?"

"_A very long time._" the invisible girl replied. The peculiar man's stare locked onto a floating purple sphere hovering against one of the consoles before it happily darted towards the blond's shoulder. No one else could see the hazy glow so it looked as if the red-wearing being was interacting with an imaginary fairy. Except this one actually had a voice everyone could hear.

"What of my age now?."

"_Realistically? You're at least in your twenties but even that is a stretch because of how dubious the timeline was in the past. Your change stopped your aging process, and I could make a safe bet that your own unique constitution added to it. Historically, however…well, you're at least over six-hundred years old._"

"…damn."

"_Then again, the constant stasis you were put was a contributing factor._"

"I logged more time being frozen than any human or reploid in existence." The white spikes of the man's helmet wiggled before sliding back with a satisfying click, allowing him access to pull the rounded item off without difficulty. Blond bangs fell as the metal hat slid off, nearly tickling the person's nose with his hair and almost blinding the expressive sapphire irises behind a curtain of yellow. Yes, he was in dire need of a haircut if the longest strands in the back could reach down to his knees. But that's not what the Sandaime was staring at. Oh no. In truth he staggered back in shock, his own stare locked onto the boy's cheeks.

His _whisker_-marked cheeks now uncovered by the helmet.

Now the God of Shinobi knew why this mysterious person's voice sounded so familiar. It was just like _his_, yet huskier with age and wisdom. And experience, no doubt about it. As the two met each other's stare Hiruzen could plainly tell that it was the stare of a man forced through war, desperate battles of which had taken a toll on his body, mind, and soul. The tender innocence he so enjoyed of Uzumaki Naruto was long gone. In its place was a battle-hardened warrior.

"Na…Naruto?"

A ghost of a smirk touched his lips before 'Naruto' cracked his neck and returned his horned helmet to its proper spot. The bangs were pulled upward while the long mane flowed out of the back, and he could have sworn he felt Cortana run a miniscule hand through the freely hanging ponytail. "…that's a name I haven't heard in so long. I almost forgot it."

Emboldened by the positive response, Sarutobi carefully walked forward while flanked by the rest of his ninja. Was it really true? "Is that really you, my boy? What happened? Why did you disappear nearly a month ago? And how is it you ended up here in one of Orochimaru's labs looking…um, as you do?"

The way the point at his brow covered the top of his eyes made it look as if he was permanently scowling, even with the neutral line of his mouth. "Long story." Naruto grunted. "Who's Orochimaru?" They watched as his head tilted slightly to the left as gentle whispers from the invisible sprite wafted into the blond's covered ear. "Oh. The mad scientist of the Sannin. Cortana, upload all the information you've gathered to my memory."

"_Are you sure, __**Naruto**__? Somebody's in for one hell of a headache_." She giggled a bit at the double meaning of the boy's name, causing the reploid to scoff.

"That's no longer my name. Just do it." he ordered before mutely muttering something that barely sounded like 'cyber elves'. The purple floating phantom sighed in exaggeration before fluttering up the blue-green crystal attached to his face and melded into its core. The old Naruto would have shouted and complained about the insanely throbbing ache pounding at his temples but the most emotion shown now was the rapid twitch of his eyeballs behind their lids and clenching of his teeth. As soon as it began it seemed to end, and the hacker cyber elf removed herself from his mind and returned to her spot at his shoulder.

"_There you have it. Everything that I could scan thanks to the old world's Resistance support nodes. Despite the wear and tear, I was still able to log in and continuously access information from around the world. From the time you stayed behind on Ragnarok all the way up to three seconds ago_."

"…that hurt."

"_I warned you!_" they all heard the immaterial Cortana yell. "_That was over three-hundred years of pure data being downloaded into your memory banks! How are you still conscious?...you're not even awake for five minutes and already you have me worrying over you..._"

"I can't afford to sleep anymore." Naruto responded tersely before reaching towards a white and grey brace-like object resting at the back of his waist where a ninja item pouch would normally hang. His right hand swiftly pulled out a small, flat cylinder shaped like a sword handle from one of the hip armaments and fluidly chambered it into the other without pause. The movement was precise, as if it had been done countless times before, before a potent thrum of power emanated from deep within the strange weapon. At least it was thought to be some sort of weapon. The way he held it…it oozed danger.

"_How does your Buster Shot still have energy?"_

Naruto hummed noncommittally. "It gets it from me. I generate my own source remember?"

"_Speaking of that…how's our other resident holding up?_" The armored Uzumaki began to walk across the top of the water as if it was a mere solid object. Reaching the edge of the pool the blond stalked past the dumbstruck shinobi with only the click of his padded heels slapping against the smooth surface.

"He said he's tiring of sleeping too."

"_It's a 'he' now? When did that happen?_"

"A few centuries ago when I grew tired of referring to him as an 'it'."

"Wait wait wait! Everybody just slow down a moment!...What is going on?" Genma was the first to crack, earning an annoyed glare from Naruto as a blue eye appeared over his shoulder. "Don't give me that! You're the Uzumaki kid, right? You vanish for a month and suddenly we find you in this crazy sealed room underneath the Hokage Monument, we can only get inside because Hokage-sama says a password to some invisible lady only you seem to see and yet we can still hear, you were unsure who Orochimaru was so I'm guessing you have nothing to do with his research, AND you keep mentioning you've been asleep and all that for hundreds of years!" The tokubetsu jounin suddenly paused, shielding the sides of his face with his hands before slowly pushing the limbs forward with the palms facing out. "I just…want to clear things up before deciding how crazy I am."

"All ninja are already crazy in some way." Raidō grunted.

"And that's why I need to know what level to choose!"

"You'll understand once we get out of here alive."

Sarutobi, visibly recovered by this point in time, swallowed heavily and reached out a trembling hand to lay upon the boy's forearm. Those sharp blue eyes twisted onto his aged, experienced orbs and it made the Hokage truly wonder what Naruto had gone through to make those some emotions reflect deeply within his own. They were still _his_ eyes though…and only one person around had those six thin slashes on the skin of their face. Licking his dry lips again the old Professor did his best to tack on a smile, which looked rather weak for a male wearing darkened battle clothing. "Naruto…it truly is you, isn't it." That wasn't a question. The jinchuriki nodded at his words but looked put off by their context.

"_I'm picking up multiple contacts!_"

"I never thought I'd see you again, Old Man…but we need to leave." A hint of fondness entered his voice before the cool steel slid back into place. Cortana flew back into his jewel and immediately it was like his vision grew even clearer than it had been before. Markers began documenting and scanning everything he could take in, tagging items of importance and displaying the information for all the ninja in the room. Names, ID's, basic intel…such things would have been displayed as soon as he swept his eyes over their bodies but with the ultimate hacker corroborating his reflexes, those actions found themselves dramatically increased. A small radar in the corner of his vision pulsed green as it displayed friendly comrades but a swarm of red were slowly encroaching upon the very edge. His heightened ears could discern a steady march echoing in from the still open doorway. He was the only one that knew something was coming their way.

"What is wrong?"

"…I wasn't the only thing that woke up when you opened my tomb."

"Tomb? What are you talking about Naruto?"

"Like I said, I don't answer to that name anymore." The barrel of the Buster shot began to accumulate energy, a form that the old monkey could tell was actually pure chakra. It received more than a few looks of confusion as the blond pointed it into the darkness from whence his saviors had arrived from. So it was some sort of weapon…that needed chakra to work. Interesting. The strong clanks of _something_ stomping down the hallway had the ninjas tense as the unnatural sounds finally reached their ears but Naruto's impassive features showed not one ounce of fear. "Not in such a long, long time…"

"Then…what should we call you?" That was all the elderly leader could ask as he pulled forth a kunai from the folds of his sleeve. Silence met his question as the chakra pulse engulfed the gun and moved up until its owner's body pulsed in tandem with the handheld cannon. The pressure about his form had skyrocketed and the highest concentration was in his occupied hand. The genin-wannabe academy student formerly known as Uzumaki Naruto closed one eye as his free palm inched towards the remaining hip holster. One word was uttered, and that single word would soon make its rounds about the Elemental Nations in both fear and wonder. The word was a label; a moniker that the cyborg went by after being reborn artificially in a shower of circuits and sparks that replaced ninety-percent of his natural structure with technology.

"Zero."

Then all hell broke loose.

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_A/N: And here's the preview for my second Naruto/Megaman crossover challenge. Honestly, I love Megaman X but Zero was always the cooler robot because he had a sword. Swords were always amazing, especially back in my young mind. When I popped in my Super Nintendo Megaman X cartridge and that red-armored figure zoomed in to my rescue after I got the shit kicked out of me by Vile and his super suit? So cool. Plus I love the design and style of the Megaman Zero series and voila. Here we are._

_A bit of clarity: Orochimaru found Naruto's resting spot where the Ragnarok station fell at the end of Megaman Zero 4 and turned it's remains into a lab. The mountain just happened to form there over the passage of time, shifting of plates and whatnot after the technological age was swiftly replaced by chakra. He's not one of the freak's experiments placed there when the snake ran away._

_Also, only Naruto/Zero can see the cyber elf because it's mentioned that only reploids and mavericks can see them. Humans can't. Yet humans altered at a certain age can see them and even turn into cyber elves when they die…so yeah._

_Third= Naruto/Zero's armor wiggling about. For clarity on how it morphed and transformed, watch the first Michael Bay Transformers where Sam meets Optimus for the first time and he enters robot mode in the alleyway. It has the best close up I think. All those gears turning, plates sliding, and so forth. But then here, Zero returns them to normal and everything slides back into place without a seam anywhere to show what he did._

_Lastly, obvious Halo references are obvious. I love that series and Cortana is a hacking specialist A.I. Cyber elves are A.I. and there is a hacker subtype. Add in a bit of allusion to the Halo books and I was good to go. However this is not actually __**that**__ Cortana…in fact, it might just be someone from the Zero series of games reborn…_


	4. The Great Clan Triad

Disclaimer: I don't own this serious. Truth.

-Naruto Challenge-

It was a time of strife.

The world was embroiled in a state of constant battle. Countless shinobi clans were always in conflict with one another, warring over rights, land, and anything else in between. Life spans were low; it was heartrending yet not entirely unexpected for a family to lose member after member without pause. Conscripted children were slaughtered like cattle. If you could raise a blade towards your enemy, the idea that a child was off limits was the farthest thing from anyone's mind. It was the _Sengoku Jidai_, or Era of the Warring States…

An enemy was an enemy.

The cycle of death and revenge continued unending.

Two of these mercenary clans were feared far and wide across the world as the strongest and most dangerous; the Senju and the Uchiha. Because of their rivaling powers, a deep loathing between the clans slowly poisoned their way of thinking until a 'kill on sight' ideal became a part of their teachings. If one group happened to hire the Uchiha for a job, you could bet easy money that the opposing faction would employ the Senju simply because no other clan could handle it, and vice versa.

Speaking of the Senju, their skill set was rather broad compared to the others. Whereas other clans focused on one particular talent, these people made sure their kin were well rounded. Stories told that the Senju descended from the younger son of the fabled Rikudō Sennin, the very man that gave birth to the age of shinobi and defeated the mythical Juubi beast. The brother inherited his father's 'body', or physical chakra, and that man held the belief that love was the correct path towards peace.

As for the Uchiha they relied on the power of their ocular doujutsu known as the Sharingan, the 'eyes' the older brother received from the Sage of Six Paths as well as his spiritual chakra. Unlike his sibling, the eldest son believed that power brought about peace and love was just a fanciful dream. The bitterness at seeing his brother's conviction chosen by their father brought about a deep-seated hatred that would continue on for generations; he should have been the successor to the Sage's name! He was older; it was his right to inherit!

From that day forth the two were despised rivals always at each other's throats.

However…there was also a third.

The Uzumaki. While not descended from the very first ninja, the large clan was equally powerful in their own right. They specialized in the art of fūinjutsu, or sealing arts, and nearly all members with dominant Uzumaki genes showcased deep crimson hair as their commonplace appearance. The family also held crazy stamina and chakra levels, more due to the fact at some point in the past the Uzumaki and Senju intermarried up until they were now distant relatives. But the Uchiha and Senju were also distant relatives…meaning the Uchiha and Uzumaki were _distant _distant relatives…*ahem*, but that's not important at this point in time.

What's significant was that the seal crafters could have been classified as a third equal had their involvement in the mercenary lifestyle been more proactive than reactive. But once their wrath was uncovered, **watch out**. The destructive force could rival that of a wandering biju, and the Uzumaki were crafty enough to come up with unorthodox ways to fight. Anyone somehow left alive after the onslaught could attest that they were one of the scarier clans to cross.

It was these three families, enemies through survival that set forth drastic changes in the future of the developing Elemental Nations. All thanks to one young member from each that realized friendship _could_ be an outcome to break the never-ending feud. The animosity between their clans couldn't hold up the mere idea that peace could be achieved simply by banding together for a common goal. It was this dream that slowly gave birth to the hidden villages…

Senju, Uchiha, and Uzumaki; the_ Great Clan Triad_.

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**SPLASH**

**PLUNK**

...

"Dammit!"

A young boy dressed in an untucked black kimono, white pants and a pair of flip-flops, and a red cloth belt cursed in anger as his chosen rock took two skips across the river's surface before sinking to the bottom without ceremony. Picking up another stone, the preteen gave it a few light bounces while the other free hand took a swipe through his messy chin-length raven hair. Eyes so dark they appeared completely black glared in quiet irritation at the running water; a low flush setting in his pale cheeks because he simply could not _get the damn shitty rock to clear the entire span of the river!_

"This time I'll make sure it reaches the other shore…" the boy mumbled to himself as he ran a thumb along the pebble's exterior, searching for any imperfections that could throw off the trajectory. It seemed fine, plus the underside was incredibly smooth due to years of erosion. If this one didn't skip straight to the opposite side then he was gonna pop a blood vessel in anger. How long had he been out here wasting the day away? What started out as boredom had evolved into a competition with himself. He just wanted some time away from his siblings to collect his thoughts and just chuck some things about. How the hell could he throw a knife without trouble and yet couldn't make a crappy piece of earth jump right?

The young Uchiha Madara hated to lose.

Movement out of the corner of his vision had the child tense responsively; he was alone and far from his clan. Any passing shinobi could decide he was easy pickings. Death was no stranger in this day and age. He may not have been as strong as his brothers or father but he'd at least hurt the bastard. He was trained to never be caught unawares and yet that's exactly what happened. Why did his attentiveness have to go and fail him now?

A small rock flew past Madara's body, hitting the water and miraculously hopping all the way across the liquid before clattering to a halt on the opposite river bank. A bit confused, incredibly annoyed, and somewhat curious, the youthful Uchiha hummed quietly in the back of his throat before turning to meet the stranger who dared show him up.

It was another boy.

The male looked to be around his age with tanned skin and dark irises. Whereas Madara's hairdo was uncontrolled, the new arrival's similar black hair was shaped into a somewhat choppy bowl cut. His clothing was dashed with bright colors, sporting a small tan jacket and hakama pants, blue sandals, dull red cloth belt and bandanna around his neck, and a white shirt. His arm was outstretched and body hunched, evidence of being the one to make the throw, and he even had the gall to go and wink at him!

"Ya know, the trick to throwing them right is putting a little more passion in the motion."

Madara's jaw jutted out as he stared at the other kid with a deadpan expression. Growling slightly the dark-eyed Uchiha stared down at the rock in his palm before clenching it between his fingers. "Well duh! Everyone knows that! I could reach the other side if I wanted, I just felt like tossing 'em casually!...anyway…who the hell are you supposed to be?"

The newcomer's lips curved into a grin as he watched his fellow preteen stare him down. "You could say I'm your rock skipping rival, I suppose. Then again I've already gotten mine to the other side." he finished with a chuckle.

"That doesn't answer anything!" Madara snapped, body muscles tensing again purely out of the urge to sock the kid in the jaw for his evasive answer. His 'rival' remained perfectly calm in the face of a scuffle, perhaps having experience with demanding fellows. Instead he just continued to stand there with his arms hanging loosely at his side.

"Call me Hashirama. That's my name…but I won't say what my family name is." the newly labeled Hashirama answered. Both boys continued to watch each other as the Uchiha's gaze turned thoughtful. Withholding the surname meant he possessed shinobi training. Letting others know which clan you were a part of was an instant death sentence…and yet, Madara's train of thought was more about beating the smiling idiot at this action he should have been a pro at! If Hashirama wanted to kill him then he would have done so when he first took the child's back. He'd give him the benefit of the doubt for now, or else his newly birthed challenger would be crushed under the mighty Uchiha Madara's might!

Lucky him.

"Well take a close look then, Hashirama! 'cause I'm gonna make it reach this time!" The kimono-wearing male's limb snapped out in an arc, sending the rock spiraling along the river. This time it was Hashirama's turn to act contemplative as he watched the precise motion. That was the exact same way one would throw a shuriken, giving the deadly metal star enough spin to cut and tear through flesh. At least that's what the un-revealed Senju believed, until the released stone sank into the depths a few feet from the rocky shore.

Both boys quietly stood in their spots.

"…huh."

"YOU ASSHOLE! IT'S SO OBVIOUS YOU STOOD THERE TO DISTRACT ME! I'M SO AWARE OF MY SURROUNDINGS I CAN'T EVEN TAKE A LEAK WHEN SOMEONE'S STANDING NEAR ME! THAT MUST BE WHY YOU WERE AT MY BACK!"

The bowl-cut recoiled in terror. "AAH! FORGIVE ME!"

"WOULD YOU BOTH SHUT THE HELL UP?"

Both Uchiha and Senju spun in their spots, turning towards the mysterious new voice that entered their private conversation. This time both children were raring to respond to an attack; it was twice now someone had gotten past Madara's personal sphere of alertness in the same damn day. It had to be some crazy strong shinobi looking for new targets. Or a dangerous new enemy stalking them both. Like infanticide, child slavery was not an uncommon rumor thanks to the scores of orphans left after parents were killed. Who dared to think they could kidnap the son of an Uchiha (and Senju)?

Apparently it was _another_ young boy.

Said person was currently lounging on a thick tree branch attached to one of the many mighty oaks that made up the surrounding forest. Although lounging was currently a subjective term; the kid looked pretty pissed off at the pair standing on the rocky ground. His bright blue eyes were blurred with the remnants of disrupted sleep and the spikes of his untidy blond hair stuck up worse than Madara's. His clothing consisted of a baggy navy blue robe hanging down to his knees with long, flowing sleeves that nearly covered his hands, similarly colored pants, and sandals. A lengthy burnt orange belt tied about his waist kept the robe closed but one could still see the hint of mesh underneath at the chest.

"And who are you supposed to be?" Madara shouted back, getting the blond's tanned cheeks to puff out as the ravenette's pointer fingers flicked out in fury.

"I'm the guy who was sleeping here before you woke me up!"

"Well…a kid like you shouldn't be falling asleep out here in the woods!"

"You're one to talk, being be all alone out here!"

"Considering there's three of us here, none of us aren't exactly by ourselves."

"ZIP IT!" the two shrieked, causing Hashirama to jump yet again and fall into a sitting fetal position. Despite the animosity Madara and the blue-eyed kid currently felt towards one another, seeing the third of their ragtag group immediately clam up like the world was against him had the pair feeling like they really needed to apologize. Who knew he was so emotional?

"F…forgive me…"

"Hey, uh…don't worry about it? Sorry for yelling at you, ya know?"

"What blondie said; I got caught up in the moment." The navy-wearing child suddenly rolled off his wooden perch and landed nimbly on the balls of his feet, clothes flaring out due to the unnecessary length and the height he had dropped from. Neither Madara nor the repenting Hashirama missed the way he hit the earth and absorbed the impact with his legs. No one but a shinobi could have done so without breaking something. And as he walked forward without pain, the boy took a place next to the Uchiha son with the Senju rocking in front of him.

"…no need to explain…you both just wanted to gang up on the nice kid…such malevolent, evil children taught to pick on the weak…"

"H-hey, shut up!"

"I can't tell if this bastard is just really sensitive or being a smartass." Madara muttered, pointing at his 'rival' while glancing at the yellow-hair. "By the way, what's yer name?"

"It's Naruto. That's all you're getting." he grunted. The simple sentence seemed to wake Hashirama from his funk as he suddenly shot to his feet while laughing boisterously. Slapping one hand against his knee, the other mimed skipping motions as if it were one of the very rocks he had thrown across the river.

"You can't tell that but you sure as hell should understand you'll never beat me when it comes to throwing stones! And what kind of name is Naruto?"

"Keep that up and we'll see how well _you _skip across the damn water!" the onyx-haired doujutsu-user took to pointing angrily at the still laughing Senju even as Naruto stomped his foot in the dirt and shook his fist.

"It means 'Maelstrom' you dick!"

Like clockwork, Hashirama fell back on his butt with the air of dejection funneling off his body. The gloominess had the standing duo pause in the verbal attack, sharing a glance as their combined ire drained away simply because it was no fun to pick on someone so pathetic. What happened next was the continued cycle of Hashirama ticking Madara off until the explosive boy finally ordered him to leave before grabbing at his collar when the Senju took it seriously. The bowl-cut suddenly froze, his eyes locked onto the steady current in the distance.

"What?"

It was a body.

Shrugging off Madara's fingers, the male suddenly darted across the water with his soles staying afloat without him even falling in. The submerged corpse bobbing along laid face down, its bloated skin already a deathly pale from being waterlogged. Shadowy eyes scanned the dead person as he stopped its uncontrolled path. How far had he traveled since the day he died? His armor bore the crest of the Hagaromo clan… "It's best if the two of you headed home. It looks like the war has finally reached these lands…I'll be leaving as well."

Now standing, Hashirama leapt the rest of the way to the opposite bank. The adolescent went to say goodbye but realized he only knew one of their names. Sensing his confusion, the Uchiha spoke out to make sure the other heard him loud and clear. "My name's Madara!" Tilting his head, he nodded softly towards Naruto as a bunch of his bangs fell in front of his right eye. "It's Madara. And not giving your surname to a stranger-"

"-is a basic code of conduct for any shinobi." all three finished as one, chuckling somewhat at how mechanically they all answered. Each of them were drilled in the art of the ninja and right then and there Madara, Hashirama, and Naruto all knew they were dealing with such people. To reinforce the idea, the blond eventually stepped past out into the middle of the river, he too drifting above the sandy bottom as chakra kept him afloat.

Hashirama on one side, Madara on the other, and Naruto hovering in between the two.

Sharing one last glance, the three boys turned and started their treks back home. While the two on land disappeared into the concealment of the forest, the lone boy in the water walked against the current as he used the river for travel. It was almost ironic; the Senju and Uchiha were on clearly defined opposing sides whereas the Uzumaki took to keeping the middle ground. And yet…it was this chance gathering that changed it all.

The riverbank would become the neutral meeting ground for these unknowing enemies for countless days to come.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Multiple shuriken slammed into the wooden lids of the newly summoned boxes. The dull thuds were repetitious until finally the onslaught ended and the sight of four separate upright coffins filled with metal throwing stars was the main attraction. An elderly man dressed in the thick plates of outdated shinobi armor sighed wistfully, proud of the fact he was victorious in stopping at least _one_ of his former student's machinations. Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, slowly curled his hands into tight fists at the fact Orochimaru would go so far in his revenge as to pull out such a technique.

'_Three of the four are still in play…and for him to call forth those people…_'

"What's the matter, sensei? Having flashbacks in your old age?" Orochimaru teased, chalk-white skin looking unnaturally abnormal under the blazing midday sun. With his long black hair, golden-slit eyes, and purple eye markings, the snake summoner appeared quite parallel to the serpents he consorted with. A smug grin wouldn't wipe itself from his lips as the trio of coffins still in play began to hum, watching as his previous teacher looked positively disheartened at what was about to pass.

Rigid lids creaked in defiance as the sealing placed upon the items released, allowing the covers to drop towards the tiled roof with heavy sounds. Sarutobi would have gasped in utter shock at the three people that slowly stepped out of their prisons had he not already been given some idea as to their contents. One. Two. And an incredibly familiar spiral motif. The kanji carved into the coffins sent a thrill of terror shoot through his body, especially when the bodies took their first few steps into view.

Rust red samurai-esque armor with shoulder and neck guards over a black bodysuit, tanned skin, black Leaf headband and long raven hair. Similarly dull blue armor with a fur-trimmed collar, black suit, pale skin, metallic happuri facial armor with the Konoha mark, and spiked white hair. Light grey body armor that hung down to the knees worn over a faded blue kimono top with arm-hiding sleeves, red spirals on the shoulders, surprisingly dark orange hitai-ate with the same swirl etching, tanned skin, long blond hair covered in numerous untamed spikes that fell into his eyes and with the length pulled into a loose ponytail. All three of them looked to be zombified, their clothing and bodies ragged, crumbling, and dirty while their arms swung bonelessly as they stumbled out from the caskets.

Outside the large barrier crafted by Orochimaru's henchman, the gathered ANBU waiting for an opening nearly shit their pants.

"**Huh…if it isn't the little monkey.**" the white-haired one said, voice sounding incredibly hollow and echoed.

"**Oh wow…you've grown rather old, Sarutobi.**" the black-haired one mentioned, sounding surprised.

"**What the hell is this?**" the remaining blond asked tersely while his black, dead eyes searched the distorted purple barrier. When the coal-colored sclera zoomed in on the Sandaime he recoiled but kept his wits, preparing for the upcoming battle. Two of them he could have handled; perhaps even come away from the battle with serious injury instead of death. As the former student of both Senju Hashirama and Tobirama, the elderly leader of the Hidden Leaf knew the Shodai and Nidaime Hokage's fighting styles rather intimately.

But the remaining summoned corpse…Sarutobi was doomed.

Uzumaki Naruto had been one of the most powerful ninja in existence during his lifetime. As the former head of the now defunct Uzumaki Clan and their village Uzushiogakure, tentatively nicknamed the Uzukage by his peers, the man had been classified as a deadly opponent you fled from immediately, no ifs, ands, or buts. Many likened him to a tailless biju, a moniker only one other shinobi in existence was able to attain. With the help of his good friends Uchiha Madara and Hashirama, he helped gather his clan in the Land of Whirlpools and crafted their own homeland indefinitely allied with the then newly built Konoha.

While Hashirama held unparalleled skill in his unique Mokuton bloodline, Madara's doujutsu and katon abilities were top notch, and even Tobirama was considered a master in his manipulation of water, the legendary 'Aquarius' Uzumaki was the real deal behind suiton jutsu and the art of seal crafting. Couple that with his innate family chakra abilities, Naruto was an army of one that helped his clan finally break through their indecisive look on the war and temper them into the rightful equals of the Uchiha and Senju.

With the ends of his headband flaring out behind him, Sarutobi couldn't keep the grimness out of his battle-hardened features. "I never thought I would meet any of you again in my lifetime. It is regrettable…but I must defeat you all here, even if I lose my life in the process. Hashirama-sama, Tobirama-sama, Naruto-sama."

The second Hokage's neck creaked as stiff, ashy muscles contracted as he turned his head. "**The Edo Tensei, eh? To think this brat used a forbidden art…**" he finished while staring down the still smirking Orochimaru. At his side Naruto's teeth bared as his decrepit hands curled in anger at what was done.

"**I warned you, Tobi-dono! Such a technique was foolish! Now look at what it's bared!**"

"**Don't patronize me Naruto-dono! How was I to know someone else would be able to understand its intricacies?**"

"**Because power such as this is just waiting to be misused…I taught you secrets. I helped enhance your skills. Why did you not heed my advice?**"

"**We were at war. What better way to save lives than to use soldiers who were already deceased?**" The two dead warriors continued to square off, staring the other down while Hashirama sightlessly looked at his second successor. His brother and best friend, while great buddies and comrades, always wound up going for each other's throats and bickering like crazy. Quite unlike himself and Madara, whose untimely jealousy had nearly destroyed their home and never allowed the two to reconcile. Naruto had become the Uchiha leader's enemy as well simply because the blond sided with the Senju and not the sharingan-wielders.

Breathing in through his nose slowly but unable to truly draw breath, the wood-style shinobi listened as the two other reanimated ninjas verbally abused each other before speaking out to the Sandaime. "**Since we're here I guess that would mean we shall be battling shortly.**"

"It sounds like that's my cue to start things off, mmm?" The traitor chortled in his spot behind the three zombies, pulling out a trio of kunai with specialized seals hanging from their rings.

"**The fighting never ends…**" Hashirama sighed wistfully even as the sharpened tip of the knife touched the back of his scalp. Hiruzen's angered expletive at using the dearly departed as tools was ignored as the kunais were plunged into the heads of the Senju Brothers with a wet, sickening squelch. Orochimaru moved to dig his third control tag into the Uzumaki but the blond's amused chuckle stopped him cold.

"What's so humorous?"

"**Do you really think the Edo Tensei will work like you want it to?**"

"Fufufufu…of course. I've studied its abilities extensively to make sure the technique was foolproof."

"**And that's where you're wrong.**" Naruto laughed again, a bit of his fake body crumbling off into dust. "**Who do you think taught** **the specialized seals that eventually allowed him to craft such a jutsu? Although I disagreed with my friend, I was never one to pass up learning new things. I feared this outcome was a possibility and so created a fail-safe for myself. And thanks to you allowing Tobi-dono and myself to argue for a time, I was able to gather enough of my ambient chakra to set it off.**"

"What!" Without a second thought Orochimaru rushed to stab the armored 'Uzukage' and plant his control device but a large gout of summoned water phased into existence at Naruto's back and blocked the attack. Utilizing just enough of his limited energy, the blond used the chakra portion to shunshin to Sarutobi's side in a swirl of liquid without handsigns as the uncovered parts of his body began to glow with a faded yellow light.

His entire figure seemed to hiss as his skin cleared itself of imperfections and the faded colors of his makeshift clothes brightened considerably. The darkened sclera of his eyes lightened to a mix of grayish-white while the black irises morphed into the incredible blue of his youth. The same sort of transformation was mirrored by the two Senju as Orochimaru initiated the rest of the forbidden technique, drawing the Hokage's under his complete control while restoring them to their best. Their eyes were completely dead though; no signs of 'life' no longer visible in the glossy stares.

"Is it true Naruto-sama? Are you free from my fallen student's influence?"

"Yes…" he responded, the scratchiness of his voice no longer sounding wooden and empty. It reminded the Sandaime of how the seal master sounded in his younger days. "I am still a part of the Edo Tensei but he can no longer turn me into a mindless machine. However, if my chakra were to run out then so will the technique and I will once again fall into death. I'd like to finish this quickly."

"I see…then, I thank you for your assistance in this fight. Had you remained on the other side I fear Konoha would fall under the combined might."

"Our villages are incredibly close. I could not, in good conscience, allow it to be destroyed when there is something I could do about it. Besides…I wouldn't hear the end of it from Hashi-dono if I let him destroy his own beloved home." Naruto crossed his arms across his armored torso and stared down his friend, privately encouraged at having smooth control of his limbs once again. He missed the wince from the aged shinobi at his side at the mention of their villages being allied. Naruto was unaware of the fate of Uzushiogakure…but could he even somehow bring up such a delicate topic?

No time for that now though.

"Thank you again. We owe you a great debt."

Naruto just waved him off before slapping his hands together followed by slamming them against the rooftop. "Kuchiyose: Jinkai (Summoning: War Shell)!" Large plumes of smoke filled the air at the blond's move, blowing away forcefully as he reached inside the clouds and swung the object hidden within. It was a massive conch with a mottled white pigmentation and orangish-red spots, a silver mouthpiece attached to the apex of the shell's spire by which he held it like a massive club. Satisfied by the outcome he hefted it effortlessly over his shoulder and tapped it against his back, feeling the inlaid chakra of his vest glue the weapon to his spine at a diagonal angle.

"Impossible! Only clothes regenerate with the body! Resurrected cadavers are at first unable to appear with or call upon any weapons! One would have to hand them over personally before any type of summoning works!" To add to his point, Orochimaru reached inside his shirt and ripped out an orange scroll which must have once held Naruto's jinkai. The long-haired man just smirked and refolded his limbs, lightly amused by the temper tantrum.

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?"

"Shall we begin, Aquarius-sama?"

"Go ahead. Youngsters first." Sarutobi couldn't help but let a small smile play across his wrinkled lips before springing into action. He never thought he'd hear something like that directed at him again. As the elderly warrior began flipping through handseals for a fire technique he could literally feel the chakra levels of his teammate skyrocket in a blaze of released power. Even the two emotionless Senju had stiffened at the familiar presence, both sets of unseeing eyes focusing on the crazy power level growing in front of them.

Sarutobi had never been happier to have such a man on his side before.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_A/N: Yet another story idea that I'd really like to work on at some point, more than any of my others. This one came to mind after reading the newest chapters of the manga with Hashirama and Madara's childhood. Check my profile for the details. This is my unique version but I'd like to see what other people come up with should they decide to take the story challenge._

_All those requirements I had for the stories, I got rid of to make it easier. I originally thought it could make things simpler for writers since anyone taking the story would have a template to work off of but I guess I was wrong. Anyways it just has the main idea now. So come on people, take the challenges!_

_Obviously this is the true Naruto. The jinchuriki child of Minato and Kushina still exists in canon, but it would be a different person. Would it be similar to UzumakiNaruto, who now instead was alive before the hidden villages were founded? Or a different gender even? Who knows? But with Naruto back in the canon timeline I can think of just all the craziness about to go down._

_If you're not exactly sure what his shell weapon looks like, look up Horagai on Wikipedia. Just a much bigger version of that…sorta like Monster Hunter's hammer or horn._

_Also, at least in my version, Naruto would be godlike for once. Just playing the games, watching the show, and reading the manga show that those that lived in the era before the Hidden Villages were complete monsters if you survived. Madara can control the Kyuubi effortlessly, wrap that bastard in his overbearing Susano'o, and summon goddamn meteors the size of a country from from space. Hashirama can calm a tailed beast with his power, initiate a sage mode his own bloodline gifted him, and create a crazy technique that allows him to call on a wooden construct 3-4 times **bigger** than the Kyuubi with thousands upon thousands of arms. So yeah, this Naruto would have to equal them with his own strength._


	5. Flawless Victory

Disclaimer: Mortal Kombat and Naruto were created when I was but a simple child. My imagination was good back then in creating things, but it wasn't _that _good.

Naruto/Mortal Kombat Challenge

Their orders were absolute; search out any children with potential and determine whether or not said subjects would be viable candidates for abduction. The Lin Kuei were always on the lookout for any new blood to bolster their ranks and taking what they needed was not against their morals. Although mostly construed of those with Asian descent, the mysterious clan had recently recovered a young Czech boy used in a ritual meant to sacrifice his life for a demon. Strangely enough, the evidence stated the child _had_ been killed for the ceremony and yet he still drew breath.

The process changed him though.

The lad, while for all intents and purposes was still human, could not truly be interpreted that way anymore. More so they believed him now to be what ancient texts described as an enenra; a living, shapeless embodiment of smoke and vapor crafted from the souls of the slain. He was able to still return to a physical form and miraculously enough the boy's memories were locked away of the terrifying events after he revived and slew his murderers. To the Lin Kuei, this male…with his newfound ability to fully control any and all steam and fog (as well as dissipate his form into a pall of smoke), it would take some time but they would be able to gain _another_ member with supernatural powers. The group saw no reason to tell him about his pre-amnesia; Lin Kuei had saved him and for that he would be devoted to their cause.

Just like the two brothers born into the clan who subconsciously knew how to manipulate the element of ice.

These three were the reason the Lin Kuei Grandmaster had recently come up with plans of glory about raising a whole platoon-or more!- of loyal subordinates possessing unnatural abilities. And…it was the grounds for why Lin Kuei members were sent to the Elemental Nations, another secret known by the Lin Kuei via tomes stacked away in their libraries. The large hidden continent parallel to medieval Japan in its structure could only be accessed via a portal similar to those used to travel the realms despite it still lying within Earthrealm's borders.

Infiltration teams were ordered to visit each and every major village to scout for talent. In this case, one of the pairs had acted like a duo of civilians traveling abroad and stopping in the grandest and most prominent of all the shinobi villages through the land; Konohagakure no Sato settled within the profitable Land of Fire. Fracture of the Lin Kuei was one such spy. The rather large man, with a black buzz-cut and angry-looking eyes, was dressed in a set of drab, dirty clothes to imitate the look of a well-weathered farmer. He looked out of place seated inside a simple tea shop but then again it would be difficult to find a nitch outside of a hardened killer where such a man _wouldn't _appear odd.

His thick hand lifted the small ceramic cup to his lips and took a sip. Even with the properly forged papers it had been difficult to walk inside without too much trouble. The ninja were tight-lipped on the extra security as they triple-checked anyone coming or going through the massive gates but rumors persisted that a large and influential shinobi clan had recently been murdered. The lot of them, killed in the span of one night by one of their own. A pity, Fracture surmised, but something like that would never happen within the Lin Kuei. Loyalty was absolute with any possible deserters and traitors being dealt with quickly and efficiently.

Dark eyes casually looked over his shoulder every so often. The paranoia born from his profession kept the male from letting his guard ever grow lax. So when an attractive woman in a pale kimono worn loose in certain places sat down across from him at his table, Fracture's hand lightly graced the handle of the knife barely poking out of the edge of his sleeve. "_Who can be more stealthy than the night_?" he asked quietly in native Chinese, peering directly into the female's smiling face.

"_Those that are more deadly than the dawn_." she whispered back, molding her spine to the hard back of her chair. It was something of a catchphrase for their faction and many of them used the old quote to identify each other while out on a mission. While the words could potentially be uncovered by a non-Lin Kuei, what really set them apart was the way they simultaneously gave off a certain tell, either with their hands or bodies. In this case, Fracture's hands were folded together while the thumbs quietly tapped off a rhythm most out of the loop would see as random. The woman? Dainty yet calloused hands rubbed at her thin shoulders. The catch in this case was her thumb rubbing the muscle while actually tracing out the symbol of the Lin Kuei on her skin.

Contact was made.

"_You're late_."

With the preparations complete, the lady leaned forward against the table with her forearms and glowered at her partner. "_Don't give me that; next time give me a specific name instead of just 'tea shop'! There's a lot of these damn places_!"

"_And yet you still arrived, did you not_?" he questioned, a stubby finger rubbing his jaw in thought. "_You know how the ninja here can alter their appearance at will, Shen. Witchcraft, it is…we must be as careful as we can be. Even allies may need to be deceived. Anyways, what have you found_?"

The newly named Shen huffed while crossing her arms over her bust, blowing out a quick puff of air to fluff out a loose bang hanging in front of her eye. "_Nothing of value. Their academy has just started its term-a foolish notion. Why wait to begin training when their students are close to a decade old? And the school barely teaches anything useful in the long run. History is fine to understand but the curriculum is predominately theory and exercise. At least until they've been there a few years and they can access their _chakra_ under instructor supervision. It's a waste I tell you. The Lin Kuei method is much more profitable_."

"_And how did you learn all of this_?"

"_Gossip. Simply take a stroll through the market for a few days and listen to all the proud mothers boasting about their child's accomplishments._"

"_I see._" Fracture threaded his fingers back together and set his chin against the conjoined hands. "_But that's not what I meant. Are there any leads? I've finished securing our escape with our contact should we need it._"

Shen looked away, eyes looking everywhere but across the space to her partner. "_Well…not exactly. There are too many variables. Those deemed interesting are the kids born of shinobi families. All possess their own special powers and clan secrets but kidnapping them would be a big mistake. Apparently a daughter of one of the more prominent families was abducted a few years ago and nearly lost to another village. Rescued en route and since then all clan children are watched closely. More gossip I've picked up. Seriously, in a village full of ninja you'd think secrets would be better kept. Still…with only two of us we'd be overtaken in a heartbeat._"

"_So this has been a waste of time._"

"Now I didn't say that." Shen quipped, placing a finger to her lips impishly.

"_Elaborate_."

"_Civilian children are nothing special either. However…I've possibly found one child that may fit our leader's wishes. Orphan. Lives in a decrepit apartment in the more superfluous areas where no upstanding citizen would allow themselves to be seen, at least during the day. Considered a burden, disliked by most for a reason I couldn't actually obtain without drawing suspicion._" She finished somewhat bitterly at being unable to actually _gain_ the info. The woman usually never found her facts lacking when she wanted it. A dainty yet calloused hand reached inside her tightly drawn robe and fished out a picture from the rather pronounced cleavage.

Sliding it across the table Fracture was able to see a profile view taken from a distance of a small blond boy around eight or nine. He didn't look anything special, except for what looked like thin scars along his cheeks. "_What makes him noteworthy_?"

"_From what I gathered the villagers call him a 'demon' and essentially ignore his existence. What drew my eye was the fact I could sense his spiritual presence and it was from a far greater distance than any youth should project, even by Lin Kuei standards._"

"_Thoughts_?"

"_…we take him. If they believe him to be a demon then there's the possibility it could be truth. Perhaps Outworld or Netherworld origin. It's better than returning empty-handed and if all else fails then the clan simply ends his life or inducts him regardless as another soldier. We have our mission; it's time to act before our window of opportunity closes. We have less than a week left, Fracture. There are no other leads. Continuing the search any longer would only raise our chances of being caught_."

The buff man stared at his clenched fist where the photograph still rested. His partner's reasoning was sound. She was the stealthy one that could discover what was needed for a mission; he was simply the muscle for when someone needed to be roughed up. Eliciting a near quiet sigh, Fracture quickly pocketed the item before motioning for a waitress. Luckily the place was running on empty and gave them the privacy needed for their meeting. That, and everyone gave the huge man a wide, fearful berth.

"_Have you watched his movements_?"

"_As much as I could_."

"_And you know where he'll be at night_?"

"_Yes_."

"_Then we move tonight. What's his name_?"

"_Uzumaki Naruto_."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

No longer were the two Lin Kuei dressed in their muted colors and basic clothing used to walk among the masses. Now the pair of soldiers were clad in the dressings of their specific factions; Fracture in the bulkier plates of those that trained with the Lin Kuei warriors and Shen wearing the light, quiet fabrics for those that were initiated into the assassins. Even their names weren't truly their own, instead donning monikers related to their fields of expertise. Fracture's…well, that was self-explanatory. When the overly big man entered a fight it was expected that bones wound up broken. And for Shen…she could literally move around like a spirit when on the prowl for vital intelligence, blending in with the crowd or vanishing on the spot because she knew _exactly _how not to look conspicuous.

However the duo both were acting out of their elements today.

…as recruiters.

Fracture and Shen stood stoically atop a roof in the dingier, less hospitable sector of the village while bathed in the shadows. Although it may have been considered somewhere the upstanding citizens may have avoided, the area was still considered 'safe'. One could thank all the resident ninja for helping to keep the crime rates exceedingly low but there would always be the group of lowlifes and bums hiding on society's fringe. Even now, they pair of outsiders were forced to lay low whenever a rare patrolling ninja would zoom on by.

"_The boy lives among these whores and beggars_?" Fracture asked, his voice echoing due to the thick, intricate facemask worn over his mouth. The material was strong and looked to be crafted out of porcelain and metal but still managed to remain sturdy in the heat of a fight.

"_Is that a problem_?"

"_No. I just did not expect an orphan to be situated…here_."

"_Demon, remember? This continent is still stuck in feudal ages in certain regards. The one place he'd probably be welcome…_" Shen waved a thin arm and gestured towards the looser end of society. "_And even then his welcome likely isn't that warm_."

"_How do you plan on doing this?_"

"_Apparently he's obsessed with becoming a ninja. I vote we just play it straight and appeal to his dream._"

"_We are not ninja._"

"_Yes. We _are_._" she stressed. "_No matter how much the Grandmaster denies it._"

"_I will not argue over this again._"

"_You started it._"

Fracture's dark stare drilled into the female at his side as he consistently wondered how such an unprofessional person could still be so damn good at what she did. Folding his gauntlets over his chest, the armored man simply grunted. Shen took that as a sign to move while her mouth quirked into an unseen grin behind her own mask. The brunette quickly hopped over the edge, followed by her partner as the twosome began their silent trek through the side streets and alleyways.

Before long the Lin Kuei infiltrators arrived in front of a rather decent-looking complex that once saw better days. No one else but the child lived there; that alone would make the mission so much simpler without any nosy neighbors butting in where they didn't belong.

Shen led Fracture up a flight of stairs to a ruddy door on the second floor before raising her arm and knocking. "_Let me handle this._" she added quietly before growing silent. No one answered. The assassin knocked again, louder this time. The pair made out the faint creaking of someone rolling out of a mattress through the thin walls. By this point Shen had removed her facemask to appear less intimidating, smiling softly down at the small blond boy standing grumpily in the now open doorway. His annoyed, bloodshot eyes spoke volumes.

"What?"

Such a well-mannered kid. "You're Naruto, right?" she asked, quickly switching to a somewhat choppy form of Japanese.

"The only one I know." he snapped as his voice ended with a slight squeak.

"Is it alright if we talk with you for a bit?"

"…why?"

"It's very important. We didn't want others to know we've come to speak with you about a special group of shinobi. They might get jealous, ya know?" Naruto's dull blue eyes roared to life as sleep decided to flee in wake of his new-found excitement. Moving back, he waved for them to follow before trooping back inside.

"_Too trusting. Didn't even ask us for details to see if we were lying._"

"_Are you expecting his parents to tell him what's right and wrong? Oh wait_." The battle-hardened male remained silent but Shen could see the twitch in his eye. "_Besides, he's a child and we've piqued his interest. There's not too many people around to tell him this is normally not a good idea. However…this works in our favor._"

"_His ignorance will have to change._" Fracture's whisper spoke of finality as he walked inside.

The place had seen better days. Not really fit for a young prepubescent, even as the small blond hopped up on his couch and watched the two older people close his door and enter. The man looked strong, with very big muscles and mean eyes above a really cool mouth guard thing as he leaned up against the wall. Much more awesome than the one that silver-haired guy around the village wore. The lady herself held a soft face, softer eyes and a smile that made him feel fuzzy inside his chest. She smelled nice and was incredibly pretty…but not prettier than Sakura-chan, right?

She dropped into the seat directly next to Naruto on top of the sofa and warmly looked at the boy. Both of their uniforms looked super fancy, more awesome than the plain effects ANBU members used. Would he get to wear a cool costume too?

"Ask him already."

"Shush!" Shen glared angrily at her sullen partner before tilting her neck to look back at the kid. "Sorry about that. Fracture doesn't understand how to be tactful. Now, Naruto, before we start may I ask you a question? Have you ever heard of the Lin Kuei?"

The whiskered blond squinted at the lady in his home, trying to think of any times the Old Man may have mentioned the name. None came to mind; no memories from the times he _actually_ went to class either. Eventually the tired boy shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "No."

"Well…we're a special group that trains recruits to be the very best ninja they could possibly be, even more so that what you could learn at the academy. And no matter what anyone says, yes we _are_ considered shinobi. A major difference between us is the fact we do not use chakra-"

"But that's not right! All ninjas use chakra!"

Ignoring the outburst, Shen weathered his interruption like a patient mother. "That may be true here but we've actually come from a place far from Konoha. We use tricks and special tools instead to gain similar results."

Naruto was stunned.

As far as he knew (and was taught) ninjas used chakra to do things. It was used in techniques, for enhancing the body, and was essentially something that kept people alive. There were a lot of inner intricacies to the explanations but the blond was only eight; give him the bare basics for understanding and you'd be good to go.

"So…so…"

"We're here to ask you if you would like to join us. It will be very tough but once you're Lin Kuei you'll be a part of a family that will take care of you for life." Yup, just keep stretching the truth. It would be hard, most certainly, but once you became a part of the Chinese mercenary/shinobi clan you were a member until death eventually claimed you. They…could be considered a family as all Lin Kuei watched each other's backs , but there were no 'friends' within the group. All were comrades. Nothing more.

Naruto's sapphire eyes glinted longingly at the mention of a family, his spine straightening as he leaned towards the female next to him on the seat. "I wanna be in the Lin-whatever!"

"Lin Kuei."

"Yeah, that! I'll get super strong and become a Lin Koo Hokage!"

"Except you will no longer reside here in this village."

"W-what?" Fracture glared at the yellow-haired runt as his joy died on the spot.

"There are no Lin Kuei stationed in Konohagakure no Sato. We are not affiliated in any way. The only reason the two of us are here are to find promising recruits. Upon finishing the mission, we are leaving. That is it."

"Fracture!" Shen yelled, aghast. He was destroying every inch of progress she just made with the kid! In turn the male merely raised his arm while the gloved fingers flickered. Naruto grabbed at his neck as a small grey dart pierced the skin and released its contents, instantly blurring his vision before the world went black. His small constitution overrun, Naruto dropped into Shen's awaiting lap fast asleep.

"_It's time to go._"

"_WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?_"

"_The boy would not come willingly. The moment he learned he would not be a member of this village anymore it was over. Anyone can see he is stubborn. The longer you took trying to convince him, the less time there is to smuggle him out._"

"_You were the one to ruin it all._" the brunette spat as one of her hands came to rest upon the boy's spiky locks. The Lin Kuei Warrior simply strolled over and plucked the unconscious child from her lap and placed him in a large garbage bag taken from the kitchen area.

"_Cover our tracks._"

Shen's frown was epic as she stomped off into Naruto's room and began positioning his possessions to look as though he was asleep in bed. A second bag was quickly filled with random bits from the jinchuriki's flat until the two were nearly interchangeable by their weight.

"_Alright, done_."

"_Stop pouting. We are Lin Kuei._"

Shen merely snatched the second bag and thrust it into the crook of her armpit. "_Where are we heading?_" she huffed in annoyance while pulling her mask back into place. It was no longer time to argue and she could always bitch at him later.

"_Our destination is the recently abandoned Uchiha District. A massacre of its inhabitants happened some time ago but the security is laughably light. Some babble about disturbing their ghosts_."

"_…let's just go already._"

The duo (plus one) slid silently through the front door and closed it with a soft click. Despite their hang-ups and bickering, the pair of foreigners would finish their assignment without any further friction. The path was set, the prize clutched within their hands, and no longer did they have any time to take any chances. Failure equated to swift discipline by the leader and his squad of bodyguards, an outcome no one ever wanted to take part in. Especially the women...for reasons Shen would never speak about.

Giving a nod, Fracture and Shen vanished into the shadows with a quick displacement technique.

They were Lin Kuei.

They would not fail.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_A/N: I've been on a Mortal Kombat kick lately and this idea came to mind. I don't believe there is one yet featuring a Naruto raised as Lin Kuei, more often Scorpion instead or being Shao Kahn's descendant. Just a little something different. _

_Not too much really in this author's note, other than the fact this is a part of my spree of updates I've been whittling away at. I figured I would make a lump of these and put them in all at once...but I reached four and figured I would just put these out now anyways while working on actual chapters._


	6. The Might of the Soul

Disclaimer: How many times do I have to admit I don't own any of these things?

-Naruto/Soul Calibur-

Athens, of the Ottoman Empire, 1582 AD.

Just like always the city was bustling with both traffic and business. All manner of people, varying in skin tone, stature, and gender walked the busy streets accompanied by the harmonious multitude of voices blending into one huge mass of background white noise. Even with the conflicts that arose due to the land being both multi-ethnic and multicultural, the people of the city still managed to keep the disputes under wraps. Instead they managed to hold a tentative peace in the long run.

It was a most welcome and familiar sight.

A soft, sweet sigh escaped from the teenaged blonde female sitting upon the hewn stone steps rising above the active marketplace on a nearby hillside. Late midday and yet the sky remained cloudy, which was a bit odd for the season but not wholly uncommon. The lone adolescent tore her gaze from the dreary sight and leaned forward, resting an elbow on her knee while her cheek rested in the palm with a look of utter boredom marring her pretty features.

Business was somewhat light today and Sophitia Alexandra's father had ushered both her and her sister out of the family's bakery. Achelous saw no reason to have his eldest daughter, the younger Cassandra, the youngest son Lucius, _and _his wife Nike all cluttering up the shop at once if there were barely any customers to keep them around. With all the customary baking finished for the moment he believed only Lucius should remain; after all he would inherit the family bakery one day and needed all the experience he could get.

Cassandra had taken off with a few of her friends and even her mother had drifted off to the bathhouses to gossip. Sophitia was jealous…because her own circle of peers was pitifully small. She was a beautiful young woman and so expected to start looking for a stable relationship, etc., yadda yadda yadda. The blonde was only sixteen! Was this really what her life was going to be? Even with the occasional suitor trying to wow her sandals off, Sophitia only wished for more.

Oh…it wasn't like she _didn't _want to fall in love and start her own family. Just looking at her parents caused a ripple of excitement to flutter throughout her strong heart. That was the type of relationship she wanted; the man adoring his wife and the pair so inexplicably in love it was blatant for all to see.

But not right now.

The baker's daughter slowly exhaled again as she tilted her head to the side, green eyes murky as she distantly watched the blended crowds below her march on. Her legs had gone on autopilot beforehand and before she knew it Sophitia wound up at the Acropolis standing in front of the goddess Athena's Parthenon. Well…it once was a shrine to the Goddess of Wisdom. Long ago the Ottoman's turned it into a mosque for their religion, but miraculously left a small part of the building reserved for the rightful Greek worshipers. Shrugging to herself, she went inside for her daily prayer. Finishing some time later she strolled back outside and sat. There she remained for quite some time. Perhaps one day the Gods, any of them, would heed her prayers for some excitement. She knew the lot of them were rather busy (being divine and all that) but she only wished they would heed her lowly calls and fix what was wrong one day when they finally got around to checking in on her.

Oh, don't get the female wrong; she loved her family and had no problem working in her father's store. She was even paid for the trouble instead of just being considered an unpaid family helper. But Sophitia wanted _more _out of her life. A thin white hand brushed a long loose strand of pale blonde hair out of her face as a small commotion in the crowd grabbed at her attention. Townsfolk were swerving around a spot in the center of the path, ignoring a man standing there as he floundered about in obvious discomfort. She could just make out a piece of parchment clutched in his hands as he continued to scratch at his gravity-defying yellow hair much brighter than her own.

Thoroughly intrigued, Sophitia hopped to her feet and brushed the minor splotches of dirt from her white skirt with a small frown. Even swept and maintained daily in honor of the resident Goddess (by the Greeks only though), the constant traffic made sure all grime eventually returned. At least it didn't stain. Readjusting the thin straps of her shin-high sandals the young beauty hurried back down to the main street of her home with a slight spring in her step. It took longer than she liked because of the way people just _would not get out of the way_ but in the end she found the mysterious male a few feet down the road from his original spot.

He was obviously a foreigner.

Much closer than before Sophitia was able to gain a more detailed picture of the odd man struggling in the street. Underneath that mop of untamed hair rested a pair of bright blue eyes and darker, tanned skin as if he merely stood out under the sun for long periods of time. Perhaps a worker of the fields? There was no shame in putting in a day of labor…even though he appeared to be around the Greek teenager's age, and therefore a part of her rebelled against the idea and thought he should at least live a little. She wasn't the only one in need of excitement in their life.

If only she knew.

His clothing left much to the imagination. His entire body was hidden away beneath the overbearing mass of a tanned cloak, occasionally revealing the black edge of a long sleeve as he waved his arm around. Orange-_orange!_-colored pants poked out from where the shroud ended as well a set of sturdy black sandals obviously not of resident make. Around his forehead rested a flowing black headband helping keep the hanging tufts of his scalp from falling into his face with a bit of metal attached at the center. And what were those scratches on his face?

The Alexandra female had never before witnessed such a strange and mysterious-looking person. As she strolled closer he appeared to take notice of her approach and slapped on a nervous smile while lifting the sheet in his hand. Sophitia returned the smile, a much less-forced expression compared to his, showing off the brilliance of her teeth as she eventually came to a stop right before him. Ever the pleasant woman Sophitia clasped her hands together in front of her lap genially and slightly tilted her head to the side. "Hello. Do you need any help?"

A vision of loveliness had appeared right before his very eyes, in his hour of need. In a place where no one had the decency to speak words he understood and the only flipping way he _could_ make heads or tails of their speech was with a piece of paper etched with random translations into the language spoken here in Athens. It was all so terribly confusing and Uzumaki Naruto was incredibly lucky to have even found something with Japanese to Greek conversions. It was hassle enough 'finding' that helpful book in the clutches of that rather busty white-haired woman a few countries over. She wouldn't let it go without a fight though; the tome fell apart and at most he escaped with a fair share of its pages with an enraged woman on his heels.

They were all now snugly stuffed inside the shinobi's item pouch probably crinkled and creased like no tomorrow.

The woman speaking to him looked around his age, a few inches shorter than him that caused Naruto to look down at her (not by much but it still raised his spirits about his own growth). Hair the same pale color as Ino's but not nearly the same length, hanging over her right shoulder with a bit at the end tied in a loose ponytail. Bangs fell freely into her emerald irises and snowy skin but still allowed him to stare unhindered into her eyes. A simple white…oh what did the Greeks call them? Ah yes, a toga! Her shirt was a toga with only one strap, revealing her bare shoulders and arms (and only a tantalizing hint of cleavage) while hanging down to her thighs. It cinched around her waist to show off her wonderful figure and all Naruto could think of was that they sure could make 'em right out here in these lands.

As he tried not to stare at the long legs waiting inside some ridiculously complex sandals, the ninja blinked stupidly as his mind worked to defeat her spell while realizing his fellow blonde was actually speaking to him. The jinchuriki proceeded to rip his eyes from her form and stare long and hard at the object crumpling against his fingers while his mouth worked to form a few words. "Ah…hello…um, wire…the blackery?"

"Excuse me?"

The blond man squinted at the paper before squinting at Sophitia; a hand reaching back to scratch at his neck nervously. He quickly muttered something in a foreign tongue before reaching in and pulling an odd black knife from somewhere beneath the folds of his garments. It was dull and uncared for, and the Athenian took a step back because _he just pulled a blade on her!_

"Weapon!" he added with a toothy grin.

"Y-yes, I can see that." This was definitely _not _how Sophitia expected her day to go. Where were the guards when you needed them?

"Uh…fix?"

"Fix? Fix weap-OH!" Sophitia's body relaxed instantly as the pretty baker finally understood what the outsider was asking of her, the release of tension causing her to slump slightly before standing and pressing a dainty hand against the quick thumping behind her left breast. What a fright! How things could have taken a turn for the worst had the young female ran off, or worse, brought the wrath of the soldiers down upon him. It didn't help he was downright butchering the native language and the looks passerbyers were starting to send them caused the ponytailed Greek to drop her gaze to the ground.

Of course now they would grow interested when a native was speaking casually with an outsider brandishing a knife without any care. Coming to a decision Sophitia walked up to the boy and smiled again. "Sophitia." she added, pointing to her chest. He understood that, it seemed.

"Naruto!" he finished cordially, motioning to himself and _not _staring where her digit rested against her bust.

"What an odd name…" the blonde mumbled before placing a palm against his exposed forearm and gently pulling him away. "What you want is the _blacksmith. _I've nothing else to do so I hope you don't mind if I stick around for awhile."

"…fix?"

"Yes. Fix." Sophitia couldn't help but let loose a giggle in response to the way his face lit up in joy at her nod of acknowledgment. Well…it might not have been much but at least her boring old day was starting to look brighter. Her actions grew ever more energetic as she wove her way through the crowds, now dragging along the alien male almost against his will. And who knows? Maybe when they were done he'd be hungry for some bread! She'd see how well he liked her own hand-baked goods and her father would most likely be thankful for the customer.

The day was looking up indeed.

Little did Sophitia Alexandra know was that, contrary to her own belief, the Gods of her land did indeed pay attention to her and the desires of her heart. The young Greek was unaware of the destiny she would soon take part of in only a few years time and that she was indeed held in favor by the higher powers for her dutiful worship of them. Times would be tough; a great evil was slowly awakening and feasting on humanity itself to bring blight, death, and destruction throughout the lands. Oh yes, Sophitia thought her prayers went unanswered. But if they did so and she believed herself to remain a mere baker's daughter and ultimately a boring, everyday bride…

-then why was her soul now inexplicably tied to that of the world's very own 'Child of Destiny', 'Kyuubi Jinchuriki', and 'Savior of the Elemental Nations'?

Boring, indeed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Uzumaki Naruto:_

_What lies in his soul is __**Determination**_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_A/N: I recently found Soul Calibur II for PS2 at a Gamestop (the only one of the multiple stores around my area that still carries PS2 games) and it eventually caused my brain to concoct this story idea. I almost went with Cassandra but Sophitia's story spoke more to me. Giving her all to protect the world, finding fleeting happiness before eventually losing her life to save her children in the fight against Soul Edge. So…what would happen if Naruto happened to show up in the Soul Calibur universe and turned things around?_

_And happened to be there in Sophitia's life even before the events of the first Soul Edge videogame?_

_Naruto is after the end of the series (however that will finish, Kishimoto keeps changing things up on me after I get a bit of an idea) and would be around 17-18 years of age I guess. Sophitia is only 16 in 1582 and Cassandra would be 12; had to do a few simple math equations to figure some things out as well as look up 15__th__ Century Greek culture because I'm a stickler for getting correct info._

_At 18 Sophitia went on her first quest (Soul Edge videogame) and then at 22 birthed Patroklos and Pyrrha after the events of Soul Calibur before supposedly dying around 25+ after Soul Calibur IV. (Thank you, wiki)_

_Would their children be the same in this story since I would be aiming for a Naruto/Sophitia pairing? _

_Who knows?_

_Would the series continue on as canon?_

_Definitely not._


End file.
